Dispenser for roll toweling



may M, "11967 c. A. TUCKER ETAL 3,319,855

DISPENSER FOR ROLL TOWELING Filed April 27, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FX@ /6 FIG. 2.

Afro/@Ney May M, 'i967 c. A. TUCKER ErAL 3,319,855

DISPENSER FOR ROLL TOWELING Filed April 2v, 1965 2 sheetsheet a iwf@ @i /7- n 1 uuliiwl y Hum-i: i.' /Y/ l5 20 'um /ZZ .l

y? INVENTORS Coun/cu. TUCKER,

J C, LAYTOA/ 5y Z740/WAS P. MAHoA/Ey A TTaQA/E Y Patented May 16, i967 3,39,855 DlSPENER FR RLL TWEUNG Council A. Tucker, Glendale, and l. C. Layton, La Habra, Caiit., assiguors to 'owlsaven Inc., lios Angeies, Qaiif., a corporation of California Filed Apr. 27, 1965, Ser. No. flltll 3 Claims. (Cl. 22S-o7) This invention relates to a dispenser for roll toweling, and, more particularly, to a dispenser for roll toweling which is characterized by its simplicity of construction, ease of operation and relatively low cost.

The teachings of the invention will be described hereinybelow as embodied in a dispenser for roll paper toweling, bu-t it is, of course, not intended that the teachings of the invention be limited to a dispenser for dispensing a particular type of material since it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that other types of toweling and strip material in roll form may be dispensed by the utilization of the `dispenser disclosed hereinbelow.

Previous low cost dispensers for roll paper toweling have been presented to the purchasing public in a combination consisting essentially of a mounting `bracket and roll mounting arms at the ends of the bracket for accepting the adjacent extremities of a roll yof toweling. Such devices have largely been utilized for the dispensing of paper toweling in the home because they are not adapted foi-,utilization in public or semispublic towel dispensing locations.

It is, therefore, an object of our invention to provide a low cost towel dispenser for use in public or semi-public locations, such as schools, charitable institutions and the like.

Another o-bject of our invention is the provision of a towel dispenser, all of the component parts of which can be fabricated from synthetic plastics by the injection molding process, said parts being assembled in operative relationship with each other with a minimum expenditure of time and effort.

One of the major problems encountered in the utilization of prior art inexpensive roll towel dispensers for use with paper toweling is the fact that none of such dispensers incorporates positive brake means other than the end roll supports for limiting the free rotation of the roll on the roll supports. Consequently, there is a tendency on the part ofthe user to dispense a greater quantity of toweling from the roll than is necessary.

An additional object of our invention is the provision of a dispenser of the aforementioned character which incorporates means for retarding or Ibraking the free rotation of the roll on the roll supports of the dispenser. Consequently, there is a resultant tendency on the part of the person utilizing the device to limit the amount of toweling dispensed from the roll because of the fact that the roll is restrained against freerotation. v

One of the other difficulties encountered in the utilization of prior art low cost dispensers for roll paper toweling is the difficulty of removing a selected length of toweling from the roll because ofthe absence of any means for facilitating the severance of said selected length from said roll. Consequently, when prior art devices are utilized, the toweling is frequently torn in an unsightly and waste ful fashion resulting in additional waste of toweling by subsequent users'because there is a tendency to reject the unevenly torn portion of the towelin g and to draw a greater length of toweling from the dispenser where such avcondition exists.

A further object of our invention is the provision of a dispenser of the aforementioned character which incorporates cutting means to facilitate the severance of of a selected length of .toweling from the roll of toweling.

In the industrial and quasi-industrial utilization of roll paper towels, dilferent widths of ltowels are provided for different uses. For instance, in schools, towels of less width than those provided in industrial applications are frequently utilized.

It is, therefore, another object of our invention to provide a dispenser of the aforementioned character which includes adjustment means adapted to adjust the positions of the roll supports of the dispenser with respect to each other so that the spacing therebetween will lbe adjustable vto different widths of toweling.

A further object of our invention is the provision of a dispenser for -roll paper toweling which is characterized by the inclusion of an elongated mounting bracket having pivolally mounted roll supports at its opposite extremities and having a cover pivotally mounted on the upper edge of said bracket which is adapted to overlie the bracket and the roll supports when the roll supports are disposed in their first, closed position corresponding to the rst, closed position of said cover.

An additional object of our invention is the provision of a towel dispenser of the aforementioned character wherein adjustment means is provided in the dispenser for determining the position of one or Iboth of said roll supports with respect to the associated mounting bracket so that rolls of toweling in different Widths may be accommodated in the dispenser.

An associated object of our invention -is the provision of a dispenser for roll paper toweling of the aforementioned character wherein the cover of the dispenser is movable from a first, closed position in which it overlies the roll supports when they are disposed in closed parallel positions with respect to the associated mounting bracket and a second, open position in which the cover is disposed in overlying relationship with the roll of toweling supported on said supports.

A further object of our invention is the provision of a dispenser of the aforementioned character wherein said cover incorporates a cutting edge adapted to facilitate the severance of a selected length of toweling from the roll.

Another object of our invention is the provision of a dispenser of the aforementioned character wherein the associated cover incorporates retardation means impinging on the roll mounted on the -roll supports and adapted to prevent free rotation of the rollon the supports so that the dispensing of toweling from said roll will be limited by the action of said retardation means.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and the accompanying drawings, which are for the purpose of illustration only, and in which:

FIG. l is an isometric view of the towel dispenser constructed in accordance with the teachings of our invention;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view showing the towel dispenser in the closed condition;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the towel dispenser of the invention showing the cover and the roll supports disposed in their second, open positions;

FIG. 4 is a vertical, sectional view taken on the broken line l-d of FIG. 3;

IFIG. 5 is a vertical, sectional'view taken on the broken line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of the dispenser;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, sectional View;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view showing the hinge connection of one of the roll supports to the mounting plate or bracket of the dispenser; and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional View showing the adjustment means utilized to adjust the position of the roll supports with respect to the mounting plate or bracket.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS.

1-5 thereof, We show a towel dispenser 10 constructed in accordance with the teachings of our invention. All of the major components of the towel dispenser 10 can be fabricated from a wide Variety of well-known synthetic plastics, such as Delrin and the like. The dispenser 10 includes an elongated rectangular and front face re cessed (FIGS. 3, 4 and 5) mounting plate or bracket 1i2 which incorporates a plurality of openings 14 to facilitate the afixation of said plate or bracket to an adjacent supporting surface, not shown. The mounting plate front face is recessed between the side edge extremities thereof, as shown, and said plate and the other major components of the dispenser 10 can be fabricated by injection molding or similar well-known plastic molding processes.

Hingedly affixed to the upper portion of the plate 12 is a cover 16. The said cover 16 is connected to the plate 12 by means of screws 17 and by pins 18 which have torsion springs 20 mounted thereupon. The longer legs 22 of the torsion springs 20 engage the back of the plate 12, as best shown in FIGS. 6, while the upper or shorter legs 24 of said springs are engaged in corresponding receptacles 26 in the cover 16 so that the torsion springs 20 normally maintain the cover 16 in the first, closed position shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

Pivotally connected to the opposite side extremities of the plate 12 are roll supports 30 and 32. 4Each of the roll supports 30 and 32 is hingedly connected to the associated side extremity of the mounting plate or bracket 12 by means of an angularly oriented hinge pin 34 which extends through corresponding bosses 36 in the roll supports and has its upper and lower extremities mounted in corresponding bosses 40 provided in the plate 12. The angular orient-ation of the hinge pins 34 causes the roll support 30 to swing outwardly when the cover 16 is raised and the plate `12 is disposed in a horizontal position.

The roll supports 30 and 32 are provided with bearings 44 and 46, respectively, which are engageable in corresponding ends of the core provided at the center of a roll 48 of toweling. The roll support 32 is biased into its first, closed position by means of a torsion spring 52 whose longer leg 54 has an extremity 56 engaged on the outer surface of the roll support 32, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 of the drawings, to force said roll support into its closed position.

Therefore, when the towel dispenser is shipped, the `roll supports 30 and 32 are disposed in a first, closed position in parallelismto and within the arcuate front face recess of the mounting bracket or plate 12 and the cover 16 is biased downwardly into a corresponding closed position in overlying relationship with the front face of the plate 12 and the roll supports 30 and 32 to provide a compact package. In addition, when the towel dispenser 10 is mounted upon a supporting surface and no roll of toweling is disposed upon the supports 30 and 32, the roll supports 30 an-d 32 can be moved into the first, closed positions and the cover 16 will move downwardly into overlying relationship thereto to provide an attractive appearance and eliminate the projection of the roll supports 30 and y32 from the mounting plate or bracket 12.

The cover 16, as best shown fragmentarily in FIG. 4 of the drawings, has a forward edge portion 60 which is urged downwardly into engagement with the roll 48 of toweling mounted on the roll supports 30 .and 32. The lower extremity of the forward edge portion 60 of the cover 16 provides a braking surface 62 for retarding the free rotation of the roll 48, thus eliminating the tendency of a user of the dispenser 10 to pull an excessive amount of toweling from the roll 48. The extreme forward edge of the edge portion 60 constitutes a cutting edge 64 which permits the length of toweling selected to be neatly torn from the roll 48.

The positive engagement of the braking surface 62 and cover 16 in its first, closed position and of facilitating the braking and cutting of the desired length of toweling from the roll 4.8 of toweling.

Each of the roll supports 30 and 32 is provided with an abutting surface 66, as best shown in FIG. 8 of the drawings, engageable with a corresponding surface 68 on the mounting plate or bracket 12. The abutting surfaces 66 and -68 determine the ultimate outward locations of the roll supports 30 and `3-2 in their second, open positions. Consequently, when a roll of toweling is disposed in operative relationship with the roll supports 30 and 32, the torsion spring 52 -associated with the roll support 32 forces the roll support 32 toward the oppositely positioned roll .support 30 and thus biases the roll 48 of toweling into engagement with the bearing boss 44 on the roll support 30.

With certain applications, different widths of toweling are provided and to accommodate smaller rolls of toweling, spacer or .adjustment means indicated at 70 is provided which, as best shown in FIG. 9 of the drawings, includes a body 72 having a groove 74 formed therein and adapted to receive the associated hinge pin 34. The adjustment or spacer means 70 includes a spacer portion 76 which is interposable between the normally abutting surfaces 66 and 68 of the associated roll support and mounting plate to cause the associated roll support, in the present showing, the roll support 30, to be restricted in its outward movement and to correspondingly reduce the space between the two roll supports 30 and 32 to permit said roll supports to accommodate a smaller width of roll of toweling.

It will be noted that the spacer or adjustment means 70 incorporates a lug 78 which impinges upon an adjacent surface of the associated roll support 30 to cause the spacer means 70 to rotate about the pin 34 to the closed position in conjunction with the associated roll support.

We thus provide by our invention a low cost, relatively small dispenser which, nevertheless, is adapted for use with roll toweling in locations where conventional lowcost dispensers cannot be utilized. The dispenser of our invention is characterized by the incorporation of braking and cutting means which, respectively, prevent Wastage of toweling and facilitate the uniform severance of a length of toweling from the associated roll. In addition, the towel dispenser of our invention is characterized by the fact that it is adapted to be utilized in conjunction with adjustment or spacer means which determine the spacing between the roll supports of the dispenser and thus the width of the roll of toweling which can be mounted therebetween.

Also significant is the provision of a cover in association with the dispenser of our invention incorporating the aforementioned braking and cutting means. In addition, the cover is adapted to overlie the exposed surfaces and elements of the dispenser to presenta neat and attractive appearance when no roll of toweling is mounted in the dispenser.

We claim:

1. In a dispenser for a roll of strip material, the combination of: an elongated mounting plate for securement to a supporting surface, said mounting plate having a roll support receiving recess formed in a front surface and extending to side edge extremities thereof; two roll supports, one of said roll supports being hingedly connected to each side edge extremity of said mounting plate and movable between extended roll holding positions in which said roll supports project angularly away from said mounting plate and folded positions projecting laterally toward each other in parallelism with said mounting plate and received in said roll support receiving recess; a cover hingedly connected to an upper portion of said mounting plate, said cover being disposable in a first position in which it is located in overlying parallel relationship with said plate covering and maintaining said roll supports in said folded recess received positions and in a second position in which it is disposed angularly away from said mounting plate and spaced above said roll supports; and spring means interposed between said cover and said mounting plate for urging said cover toward said first position.

2. In a dispenser for a roll of strip material, the combination of: an elongated mounting plate for securernent to a supporting surface; two `roll supports, one of said roll supports being hingedly connected to each side extremity of said mounting plate and ymovable between extended roll holding positions in which said roll supports project angularly away from said mounting plate and folded positions projecting laterally toward each lother in parallelism with said mounting plate; a cover hingedly connected to an upper portion of said plate, said `cover being disposable in a first position in which it is located in overlying parallel relationship with said plate covering and maintaining said roll supports in said folded positions and in a second position in which it is disposed angularly away from said mounting plate and spaced above said roll supports, said cover having an edge portion engageable with a roll of strip material to retard free rotation thereof when said roll is retained between said roll supports in said roll support extended roll holding positions and said cover is in said second portion, said edge portion having a cutting edge thereupon to facilitate the severance of a selected length of said strip material from said roll; and spring means interposed between said cover and said mounting plate for urging said cover toward said irst position.

3. In a dispenser for roll towels, the combination of: an elongated mounting bracket; a pair of roll supports secured to the opposite extremities of said bracket for movement between closed positions in which they are disposed in parallelism with the adjacent surface of said bracket and open positions in which they are disposed at angles to said bracket; and spacer means interposed between at least one of said roll supports and said bracket for adjusting the space between said roll supports when they are disposed in an open position.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 464,378 12/1891 Morgan 242-5553 1,423,336 7/1922 Korittke 225-43 1,955,067 4/1934 Hope et al 24255-2 2,749,056 6/1956 Jenkins 242-55.2 3,116,030 12/1963 Leotta 242-552 FOREIGN PATENTS 350,093 11/ 1960 Switzerland.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. I. PETO, Assistant Examiner. 

2. IN A DISPENSER FOR A ROLL OF STRIP MATERIAL, THE COMBINATION OF: AN ELONGATED MOUNTING PLATE FOR SECUREMENT TO A SUPPORTING SURFACE; TWO ROLL SUPPORTS, ONE OF SAID ROLL SUPPORTS BEING HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO EACH SIDE EXTREMITY OF SAID MOUNTING PLATE AND MOVABLE BETWEEN EXTENDED ROLL HOLDING POSITIONS IN WHICH SAID ROLL SUPPORTS PROJECT ANGULARLY AWAY FROM SAID MOUNTING PLATE AND FOLDED POSITIONS PROJECTING LATERALLY TOWARD EACH OTHER IN PARALLELISM WITH SAID MOUNTING PLATE; A COVER HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO AN UPPER PORTION OF SAID PLATE, SAID COVER BEING DISPOSABLE IN A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH IT IS LOCATED IN OVERLYING PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID PLATE COVERING AND MAINTAINING SAID ROLL SUPPORTS IN SAID FOLDED POSITIONS AND IN A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH IT IS DISPOSED ANGULARLY AWAY FROM SAID MOUNTING PLATE AND SPACED ABOVE SAID ROLL SUPPORTS, SAID COVER HAVING AN EDGE PORTION ENGAGEABLE WITH A ROLL OF STRIP MATERIAL TO RETARD FREE ROTATION THEREOF WHEN SAID ROLL IS RETAINED BETWEEN SAID ROLL SUPPORTS IN SAID ROLL SUPPORT EXTENDED ROLL HOLDING POSITIONS AND SAID COVER IS IN SAID SECOND PORTION, SAID EDGE PORTION HAVING A CUTTING EDGE THEREUPON TO FACILITATE THE SEVERANCE OF A SELECTED LENGTH OF SAID STRIP MATERIAL FROM SAID ROLL; AND SPRING MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID COVER AND SAID MOUNTING PLATE FOR URGING SAID COVER TOWARD SAID FIRST POSITION. 